Times of India: Margao: Friday, 17 July 2020.
The Goa
State Information Commissioner in two separate orders passed recently has
imposed a penalty of Rs 3,000 each on the public information officer (PIO) of
the Colva panchayat, Amol Tilve, for failing to furnish information as directed
by the first appellant authority within the stipulated time under the Right to
Information Act.
Complainant
Nevil Furtado had sought information from the PIO of the Colva panchayat
pertaining to encroachments by gaddas on road setback and public spaces, and
also pertaining to licences issued to gaddas and rickshaws. As no information
was furnished to him, Furtado appealed before the first appellate authority,
who directed the PIO to furnish the necessary information within a stipulated
time.
The PIO
failed to comply with the directions, prompting Furtado to approach the Goa
State Information Commission.
“The PIO
must introspect that non-furnishing of correct or (furnishing) incomplete
information lands the citizen before the first appellate authority and also
before this commission resulting into unnecessary harassment of the common man,
which is socially abhorring and legally impermissible,” state information
commissioner Pratima Vernekar noted in her order.
The
total amount payable as penalty shall be deducted from the salary of the PIO,
the order states.
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